D. Clarke Evans Photographer

Dick Verner

Corporal, USMC
1943–1946

Pvt. Dick Verner
Camp Pendleton, CA, 1944

                                I had to walk back to the beach maybe ½ mile. A unit was recovering the bodies of dead Marines—stacking them up five high maybe 100 yards long. It was something I can’t forget. It really struck home.

I was born in 1925 in Chicago. I went to high school in Argo, Illinois and joined the Marine Corps as I was getting ready to get drafted. I went to the 12-week boot camp in San Diego. In June I was sent to radio operations school to become an Artillery Forward Observer Radio Operator.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Iwo_Jima

I joined the 5th Marine Division which was being formed at Camp Pendleton. We trained there and in Hawaii, preparing for an invasion. We just didn’t know where. On February 19, 1945, our artillery unit was in the 9th wave landing under fire on Iwo Jima. They were lobbing mortars as we were going in. I was put with the 105 Howitzers and we were to land directly below Suribachi. Our mission was to put 105 shells into Suribachi. We supported the infantry going up the mountain to put the flag up, then turned our howitzers around and began supporting the rest of the island.

For a brief time, I was put on the front lines near Kitano Point where I came upon a deceased Japanese soldier. I found his wallet with pictures, some insignia, a savings account and his canteen. I later sent it all to a Japanese organization to see if they could find the soldier’s family. They were successful and I received a nice, warm letter.

We lost quite a few men in our battery because of our exposure. A great friend got hit by a mortar; almost took his leg off. It was unusual for an artillery unit to have so many casualties. We left a week or 10 days before the island was secure, and went back to Hawaii and began training for the invasion of Japan.

Worst experience? When I came from the front line where I was almost killed and I had to walk back to my unit. You heard the concept of The Fog of War? As a Pfc you are at the bottom as to what is going on. I had to walk back maybe half a mile. A unit was recovering the bodies of dead Marines—stacking them up five high maybe 100 yards long. It was something I can’t forget. It really struck home. I was a 19-year-old kid. I survived that. I was raised in a pretty tough neighborhood in Cicero which was Al Capone’s home town. A lot of what helped me survive on Iwo Jima was my upbringing. A lot of guys couldn’t handle it. In fact, my Captain told me we had people hit the beach who couldn’t deal with it.

One thought you wish people understood about WWII—I could see people just trying to stay alive. On Iwo, you never knew what might happen with mortars or anything; you just had to keep on going to do your job.

We were being prepared to invade Japan. If we had done that, it would have been complete chaos. The result of the A-bomb? Some say we did not have to do that. They were wrong. I think Truman was one of the greatest presidents.

They sent us home on a point system; if you got a medal you got extra points. I got home June of 1946 and immediately went to college. The people I admired had a little college. First, when I joined the Air Force, they would make me an officer. I made the Air Force a career and came back to San Antonio. Even though I retired a colonel in the Air Force, I wear my Marine Corps hat—once a Marine, always a Marine.

I have two sons. I actively trade in the market. I pick my stocks based on what I read and see. I have a highly diversified portfolio. {05-06-2015 • San Antonio, TX}